Anchoring device for signposts



Jan. 1, 1952v P. c. PANCAKE ANCHORING DEVICE FOR SIGNPOSTS Filed NOV. 15, 1950 TOR.

INVEN PAU/ c PANCA Patented Jan. 1, i952 Paul amp-cake, Huntington, W. va..f

ApplicationY November 15, 1950, SerialNo. 195,877

2 Claims. (Cl. 10j-1,25) Y 'This invention relates to an anchoring device y for xingjposts in the ground.

It is anobject of the present invention to provide an anchoring device which can be inserted in the ground by a driving action and thereafter made secure by extending further into the ground ,anchoring elements as by a screwing action of a centralshaft to which the anchoring elements are connected and operable within a lpipe that can be driven into the ground and wherein during the driving operation a protective element is provided over the central adjustable screw rod to eiect the driving action, said cover element being removable to permit the operation of the central adjustable rod.

. It is another object of the present invention to provide an anchoring device for posts and signs Awhich needs to be driven into the ground only a `minimum amount in order to have maximum engagement therewith and wherein the ttingupon the end of the anchoring means serves as a coupling member for the attachmentv thereto of the .post or sign and wherein the driving or hammerrin g of the anchoring means can be effected ata low elevation rather thanat a high elevation in the case of a long-*post which must be driven into the ground and wherein the sign or top part of 'the post will-not be ruptured as a result of hammering since the sign or upper part of the post is added to the anchoring means after the anchoring means has been fixed to'the ground.

Other objects of the present invention are to providean anchoring means for posts and signs which isofsimple constructioneasy to xupon the'ground, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to adju-st, can be stored and transported separate from the post or sign part, durable and efcient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. luis a perspective and collective view of the anchoring means and the sign part and the tool for effecting the insertion of the anchoring means in the ground.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the anchoring means and of the tool fitted over the top of the anchoringmeans and a hammer being applied to the tool to force the anchoring means into the ground.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the anchoring means after it has been driven in the ground and before ythe anchoring fingers have been spread and illustrating the manner in which the cou- :pling member is removed toprovide access to the adjusting screw which operates the spreading fingers.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional vView of a slightly modied form of the invention wherein multiple sets of ngers are provided and illustrating the .manner in which the adjusting screw is turned .to effect the spreading of the anchoring ngers.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the anchoring device with the coupling secured'thereto and :after the'parts have been xed to the ground and showing'the manner-,of attaching the sign element to the coupling member.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view. of a modiiied form of the invention wherein a coupling part with .diametrically opposite slots are used so that a nail can be extended through the slots and through the opening in the-central screw rod.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, I represents the anchoring device constructed according to the present invention. This anchoring device has a coupling part II thereon by which, after the anchoring device is fixed in the ground, a sign part I2 can be secured.

The anchoring device I0 comprises a pipe sleeve I3 which is threaded at its upper end, as indicated at I4, to receive the coupling part II. The lower end of the pipe sleeve has circumierentially spaced projections I5 between which may be extended spring anchoring ngers I6 as central rod I1 is turned. y In the upper end of the pipe sleeve -I3 is a block I8 having a central threaded opening through which athreaded portion I9 of the central rod I'I extends for adjustment. The block I8 is tightly fitted and secured in the end of the pipe sleeve I3 against vertical displacement with respect thereto. As shown in Fig. 4, the fingers are formed as a part of a star piece having a hub portion 2I that is secured by the heading of a projection on the lower end of the central rod I1, as indicated at 22.

To eiect the insertion of the anchoring device IIJ into the ground without rupturing the parts of the device, aspecial tool 23 having a bottom opening 24 is fitted over the top of the coupling part II, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and a hammer is -applied to this tool. In this manner, the anchoring device I0 will, by repeated blows of hammer 25, be forced into the ground to the position shown in the figures. In order to provide access to the upper threaded end portion I9 of the central rodyI'I and more particularly head 21 of the rod having hole 28 therein, the coupling member II 'iis removed in the manner as indicated in Fig. 3.' A nail 29, as shown in Fig. 4, can be extended through the hole 2B so that the central rod I1 can be adjusted through the block I8. After the central rod has been lowered sufficiently to set the anchor fingers I6, the nail 29 is withdrawn and the coupling member II may then be applied. The lower end of the sign I2 is threaded, as indicated at 3I, so as to iit the reduced portion of the coupling member II. y

In Fig. 4, the pipe sleeve is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 33 therearound through which extend ngers 34 of a member 35 which is journalled upon the central rod I1 in order to permit the vertical adjustment of the rod by a turning action. A pin 36 extending through the rod holds the member 35 against upward displacement and as the rod moves down presses downwardly upon the rod to move the spring fingers 34 outwardly through the openings 33 in the same manner that the fingers I6 are spread. The sides ofthe openings 33 keeps the ngers from turning while the adjustment is being effected.

In Fig. 6, there is provided a coupling member 31 that is secured to the threaded portion 3| by threaded engagement and also by a pin 38 'that is placed therein to lock the parts together after the coupling member has been threaded upon the sign part I2.

In order to set the fingers at the same time the coupling part 1I is placed upon the pipe sleeve I3, diametrically opposite slots 4I and 42 are provided in the coupling member and nail 29 is extended through these slots and the opening 28 in the head 21 of the central rod I1. Accordingly, as the coupling member is turned by the sign part I2, the fingers I B will be spread outwardly. In order to prevent the reverse action of the removal of the anchor means, the

nail 29 can be withdrawn. The nail will ac cordingly serve as the key for effecting the adjustznent of the fingers. It will be apparent that other suitable means can be used to interlock the central shaft with the sign post.

It will be apparent that with the present anchoring device, posts and signs can be easily and quickly erectedupon the ground.V The operation can be effected with simple tools and in an easy manner.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. l

What is claimed is:

1. A sign post construction comprising an anchoring device including a pipe sleeve, a central rod having a threaded portion thereon, said pipe sleeve having a block fixed thereto and with a threaded opening in which the central rod threaded portion extends for adjustment, spring ringer elements secured to said central rod and curved to be forced outwardly as the central rod is threaded through the block, said central rod having on its threaded end an opening through which a nail or the like can be eX- tened to effect the adjustment of the central rod, a coupling member threaded to the upper endl of the pipe sleeve, a sign part having a depending threaded post portion securable to the coupling member.

2. A sign post construction comprising an anchoring device including a pipe sleeve, a central rod having a threaded portion thereo n, said pipe sleeve having a block` fixed thereto and with a threaded opening in which the central rod threaded portion extends for adjustment, spring finger elements secured to said central rod and curved to be forced outwardly as the central rod is threaded through the block, said central rod having on its threaded end an opening through which a nail or the like can bevextended to effect the adjustment of the central iod, a coupling `member threaded to the 4upper end of the pipe sleeve, a sign part having a depending threaded post portion securable to the coupling member, means for securing the coupling member to the sign post against relative rotation with respect thereto, said coupling member having diametrically opposite vertically extending elongated slots adapted to receive a nail or the like to connect the coupling member to the opening of the vertically extending shaft so that upon connecting the coupling member to the upper end of the pipe sleeve by threading action the central shaft will be automatically adjusted to spread the anchor ngers, and said nail adapted to serve as a key to permit the adjustment of the anchor fingers. y

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date I Vogel Mar. 27, 1951 Number 

